Flying Site Assistance
by Tony Stillman
Helicopter success story
The following success story is possible due to hard-working individuals teaming up with support from your AMA! If you are struggling with the loss of a flying site, contact me.
Hopefully we can work together and eventually have your success story published in Model Aviation!
From Pete Kowal and Craig Courtney:
“We RC helicopter flying has been the biggest-growing venue in the Kansas City RC community. Our club is called the KC Thunderbirds. Members of the KC Thunderbirds, in conjunction with the Jackson County Parks department, built a flying field called Minor Park in Kansas City, Missouri.
“This was a helicopter-designated field. RC helicopters have grown in size and power. The style of flying has advanced to the point that Minor Park was no longer safe. Minor Park is a wonderful field, well suited for park flying, but no longer safe for the more powerful, professional machines. The KC Thunderbirds thank Jackson County Parks for their years of support.
“The KC Thunderbirds membership required a larger and safer flying site to meet the needs and requirements by increasing the buffer zone between the pilots and pit area. Increasing the buffer zone made it necessary to relocate to another field.
“The Thunderbirds needed more room to establish a safe flying area for the pilots as well as its spectators. Rodger Gordon, our safety officer, suggested the Northland community of Sugar Creek, Missouri. Roger knew of a park that was big and well suited for flying.
“Ritchie Chadwick, the club liaison, checked with the city of Sugar Creek and arranged for the club’s executive committee to attend a city council meeting.
“Craig Courtney, Pete Kowal, Bill Allen, and Ritchie Chadwick attended the meeting. During the meeting, we asked if we could fly at their park and discussed the benefits of community entertainment and education. We brought helicopters to the meeting as a static display to show what we were going to be flying.
“The council [members] wanted recommendations and were concerned about safety. We gave them recommendations and discussed AMA with them. We discussed the fact that the club members were individually insured and that the city of Sugar Creek would be insured.
“AMA was a major asset in acquiring the field. The people from AMA that helped us were Tony Stillman, Nationwide Flying Site Assistance, Ilona Maine, Safety and Member Benefits, and Craig Schroeder, accounting. Without insurance from AMA and help from these AMA employees, attaining the new flying site would not have been possible.
“The club came to an agreement with the town of Sugar Creek. The club had to get incorporated and acquire field insurance. A lease was signed, and the KC Thunderbirds had their new field. The KC Thunderbirds have established a great working relationship with Sugar Creek. They have provided us with a wonderful place to fly. Our club, to show appreciation, pulled together to clean the area and maintain its condition.
“We are very appreciative to the Sugar Creek community. The KC Thunderbirds hopes to keep a great working relationship with Sugar Creek for many years to come.”
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
